Patent GB-914479-A (GB)
Title: Photographic printing and processing apparatus
IPC: G03B17/50
Filed: 1960-02-26
Abstract: 914,479. Photographic printing and processing apparatus. AGFA A.G. Feb. 26, 1960 [Feb. 27, 1959], No. 6894/60. Classes 98 (1) and 98 (2). A photographic printing and processing apparatus has a printing section where the print is made on a paper web unrolled from a roll, a cutting device for severing the exposed print from the roll, and means for feeding the severed prints into a developing section where each print lies in the developing bath with its exposed surface upwards and free for observation by the operator. In the printing section of the apparatus, the print of negative 4 is made at 6 on paper withdrawn from a roll 7, and then severed by a cutter 9 to slide down a channel 10, where it rests against the end 11a of a spring- loaded lever 11, occupying a position shown as 20. An arrangement of linked levers 17, 21, 22 can be operated to tilt lever 11 clockwise, so that print 20 slides out and rests on the abutment 22b of lever 22 (Fig. 3, not shown). Lever 22 has also been pivoted clockwise by this movement, and still further pivoting causes the print to fall away from lever 22 into the developing bath 29. During this progress, the print has been turned completely over, so that whereas in the exposure position 6 it had its light-sensitive face lowermost, it falls into bath 29 with the said face uppermost. This movement of the lever-chain can be initiated either by a foot-pedal 66, linked by a rod 68 to lever 11, or by an electromagnet 73, 74 acting on the upper part of rod 68. The developing bath 29 is annular in shape, with circular outer and inner walls 32, 31, and can be rotated on a bearing 34. The print rests on a grid of carrier rods 62 extending radially inwards from the outer wall 32. Every third rod 62 carries a number of pins 63, thus dividing up the carrier grid into a number of separate compartments, each suitable for a single print. A further set of rods 61 form sets of three-pronged forks 54, 55, 56. The hubs of these forks have angular recesses 54a, 55a, 56a shaped as shown in Fig. 4. In these recesses engage pins 52 mounted on inner sleeves 51, which inner sleeves are coupled to coaxial shafts 25, 48, 49. These shafts are all linked together by universal joints, and can be moved simultaneously by a handle 60. The lever linkage system 17, 21, 22 is further linked by further levers 28, 27 to the shaft 25, and as these levers operate in the manner already described to transfer the print into the bath 29, the forks can pivot about the shaft, and lift upwards out of the liquid in the bath (Fig. 3, not shown). When this occurs, the fork-rods 61 are interdigitated with the grid support rods 62, in the position shown in Fig. 4. Of the three sets of forks shown in Fig. 4, only one lifts at any one time, Fig. 4 showing the position in which the centre fork 55 lifts. This is because pin 52 engages against the fork hub. The pins 52 do not couple with the other two forks, owing to the shape of the recesses 54a &c., so that the shafts 25, 49 rotate without taking the forks with them. The sleeves 51 can be displaced axially by means of handle 60, so that any required pin 51 can be coupled with its corresponding fork. Operation of the footpedal also energizes an electric motor 39, which is arranged to rotate the bath a predetermined amount, and then stop. Thus a single action by an operator may effect feeding a print into the developing bath, advancing the prints already in the bath by one stage, and lifting out any required print therefrom. As the lifting fork lifts the print out of the bath, it pivots about shaft 25 until the print falls down the central well 64 of the annular bath into a fixing bath 65 below. Any number of annular processing baths may be arranged one below the other, rotating together.